Lack of data hinders resettlement program<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): A lack of information on city-owned land and a
\nshortage of funds have hampered programs to resettle people
\nliving along riverbanks, a housing agency official said Thursday.<\/p>\n
Nusmardi, who is in charge of cheap apartments, said his
\noffice could not build cheap apartments on individuals' or
\nprivate firms' land.<\/p>\n
\"Using the property of private firms or individuals for this
\npurpose would be too costly. The only land feasible for
\nresettling people is city-owned land,\" he said.<\/p>\n
But he said his office did not have enough accurate
\ninformation on how much land the city owned or where it was
\nlocated.<\/p>\n
\"We hope to build better coordination with the National Land
\nAgency to get the data,\" he said.<\/p>\n
Nusmardi did not say how his office had been getting
\ninformation from the Land Agency so far.<\/p>\n
\"If we had accurate and adequate information on city-owned
\nland we could resettle more riverbank squatters in new cheap
\napartments,\" he said.<\/p>\n
This year the housing agency will resettle about 600 families
\nin Bidara Cina and Kebon Baru in cheap apartments.<\/p>\n
\"It's quite successful. Previously, it was hard work coaxing
\nthem to live in apartments, now we have our hands full of
\nrequests,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The 600 families live in East and South Jakarta subdistricts
\nalong 800 meters of the Ciliwung river's banks.<\/p>\n
The land for the seven apartments, launched by President
\nSoeharto in March 1995, was formerly a defunct river.<\/p>\n
The resettlement project was a pilot project.<\/p>\n
Nusmardi was talking about this year's 11 agency projects
\nwhich involve resettling people who live on riverbanks.<\/p>\n
He said there were about 5,000 homeless families in the city
\nbut there could be more because riverbank residents might not be
\nincluded in this figure.<\/p>\n
Earlier Ministry of Public Works Director General of Water
\nResources Soeparmono said he hoped the city could remove the
\n5,000 shacks on riverbanks.<\/p>\n
The shanties from Muara Angke, North Jakarta, to Karet, South
\nJakarta, were hindering a flood control program, he said.<\/p>\n
Nursyahbani Katjasungkana, a lawyer who has handled several
\nland disputes, said earlier the city's lack of data on property
\nownership was a major constraint to housing poor people.<\/p>\n
National Land Agency city office officials were unavailable
\nfor comment yesterday.<\/p>\n
Nusmardi was also talking about the city's 1997\/1998 budget
\nGovernor Surjadi Soedirdja announced Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Housing was allocated Rp 227.06 billion (US$94.9 million) out
\nof the Rp 1.39 trillion for development programs, making it one
\nof the biggest funded sectors.<\/p>\n
Nusmardi said the housing agency's 11 projects got Rp 95.2
\nbillion.<\/p>\n
Besides the river resettlement program other projects included
\nthe Rp 63 billion plan to build cheap apartments.<\/p>\n
Fire victims in Karet Tengsin, South Jakarta, will have
\npriority access to these apartments. (anr)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/lack-of-data-hinders-resettlement-program-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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